Teens going through puberty need a healthy, varied diet that incorporates all major food groups. In addition to having some more notable short-term benefits, such as improved energy levels, in the long term, a healthy, balanced diet can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases. such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and osteoporosis.
1. Energy needs in puberty nutrition
During puberty, young people grow and develop rapidly. At this stage, a number of physiological, physical and behavioral changes occur. Nutrition for adolescent puberty requires an increased amount of nutrients for these physical changes. They should eat a healthy, varied diet; A healthy diet is important for growth, maintaining a healthy weight, and preventing chronic diseases as they age.
While adolescent nutritional needs contain most nutrients similar to other age groups, there are some nutrients that adolescents need more to meet growth spurts, for example like calcium. Requirements for many other vitamins and minerals are higher than those of young children. This need differs between boys and girls: for example, boys need more protein than girls because they are usually larger and have a larger body weight.
Children's growth at this age shows that growth usually peaks around 12.5 years of age in girls and 14 years of age in boys.
2. Some nutrients are necessary for development during puberty
2.1. Iron
Iron needs increase during adolescence to help with growth and muscle development. After menstruation begins, girls need more iron than boys to replace lost iron. The reference dietary intake for girls (11-18 years old) is 14.8 mg of iron per day, while for boys of the same age, the figure is 11.3 mg of iron per day. Girls with particularly severe amenorrhea may require larger amounts.
Iron absorption: Vitamin C plays an important role in helping to absorb iron. Iron from meat sources (called heme iron), e.g. liver and red meat, is absorbed more easily by the human body than iron found in other non-meat sources (called non-heme iron ), such as dark green leafy vegetables (e.g. watercress), nuts, whole grains (e.g. whole grain breakfast cereals), beans and dried fruit (e.g. apricots).
Vitamin C helps the body absorb non-haem iron. Therefore, drinking a glass of fruit juice or eating fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C (such as tomatoes) with meals can help absorb iron from non-meat sources. On the other hand, tea and coffee can reduce the amount of non-heme iron the body absorbs, so don't drink them with meals.
Low status and deficiency: Iron-deficient bodies can become iron deficient and increase the risk of iron deficiency anemia, leading to serious health consequences. Severe iron deficiency can put you at risk of developing heart and lung complications.
Data from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) in the UK has shown that iron deficiency is a concern in adolescent girls. Hemoglobin can be used as a biomarker of iron status. The most recent NDNS in 2014 found that 7.4% of girls aged 11-18 years had hemoglobin levels below the WHO lower limit for children aged 12-14 years and girls aged over 15 years (non-pregnant). ) (120g/l), compared to a much lower percentage of boys [1.8% had hemoglobin levels below the WHO lower limit for men aged 15 years and over (130g/l)] NDNS also reported that many adolescent girls had low iron intake, with 46% of 11-18 year old girls having intakes below the lower reference nutritional intake (LRNI). This is only enough for a small percentage of the population (2.5%). Therefore, it is common for adolescent girls to have insufficient absorption capacity. Adolescent girls who are vegetarians with poor planning or limited intake may be at risk of low absorption.
2.2. Calcium
The rapid increase in bone mass in young people means they need more calcium during their teenage years and if this is not provided, future bone health may be compromised. At ages 11-18 years, the reference nutritional intake for boys is 1000 mg per day and for girls is 800 mg per day.
Good sources of calcium include dairy products, such as milk, yogurt and cheese. Skim and reduced-fat milk provide at least as much calcium as whole milk. The same applies to low-fat yogurt compared to yogurt made from whole milk. But low-fat cheese, such as cottage cheese, is a much less concentrated source of calcium than hard cheeses like Cheddar. Other calcium-containing foods you can include if you don't eat these foods include calcium-fortified milk alternatives, such as soy milks and calcium-fortified breakfast cereals. In England, according to By law, white and brown flour (but not wholemeal flour) must be fortified with calcium, so bread made from these flours can be a significant source of calcium.
Some green vegetables, such as kale, collards and watercress, also provide calcium. Fish that are eaten with their bones, such as whiting or canned sardines or canned salmon, are also a good source.
3. Oral health of puberty
A survey of oral health in children found that about a third of 12-year-olds and nearly half of 15-year-olds had evidence of some tooth decay. Reducing both the amount of sugary foods and drinks in the diet and the frequency of eating them (for example, by limiting them to mealtimes) can help reduce the risk of tooth decay. Regularly brushing your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, flossing at least once a day, and visiting your dentist regularly are also essential.
Conclusion
Nutrition during puberty plays an important role in building the health and development of adolescents. Taking care of their health and ensuring adequate nutrition is not only beneficial for their bodies, but also for their souls and comprehensive development.
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